Before he became a musician, Merle Haggard lived the kind of life that's often mythologized in song: Hopping freights and doing prison time. When he became a star, he acquired his own observation car. Now that coach is part of the Virginia Scenic Railway. Terry Gross spoke with Haggard in 1995. Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two albums: one's a collection of recordings by Paul Robeson, and the other features the music of Paul Robeson, performed by singer Davóne Tines. Finally, Justin Chang reviews David Cronenberg's new thriller, The Shrouds.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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This is Fresh Air. I'm David Bianculli. This week marks the 40th anniversary of Farm Aid, the country music concert founded by Willie Nelson as a fundraiser to benefit farmers. Held in Champaign, Illinois, this first gathering featured not only Willie Nelson, but such other supportive performers as Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Petty, B.B. King, Loretta Lynn, and Roy Orbison.
Farmers still need aid, and Farm Aid has been staged annually ever since. Stealing the show at that very first Farm Aid concert in April 1985 was Merle Haggard singing his then-new song, Natural High.
Stayed with me, root thick and thin Watch me lose, watch me win You pick me up off of the ground You never one time let me down And you put me on a natural high And I can fly, I can fly
Today, we're going to listen to our 1995 interview with country music star Merle Haggard. John Karamanica, in the New York Times, once described him as, quote, the country music titan who most resists easy categorization. He was a wildly versatile singer, songwriter, and performer with an affinity for a variety of styles.
Outlaw country, ballads, the Bakersfield sound, western swing, jazz, and more, unquote. Haggard was inducted into the Country Hall of Fame in 1994 and was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2010. He died in 2016 on his 79th birthday. When Haggard was young, he hardly seemed destined for success. He spent time in and out of reform school and prison before he found his way back to music.
Haggard's best-known songs include Mama Tried, Okie from Muskogee, Today I Started Loving You Again, and The Bottle Let Me Down. Merle Haggard had a lifelong fascination with trains. After he became a star, he acquired his own railway observation car. And that railway car, on which you can book passage, is now part of the Virginia Scenic Railway.
When Terry spoke with Merle Haggard in 1995, he had reissued an album he recorded in 1969 featuring the songs of Jimmy Rogers. They began with Haggard's recording of the Jimmy Rogers classic, Waiting for a Train.
All around the water tanks Waiting for a train A thousand miles away from home Sleeping in the rain I walked up to a brakeman To give him my talk He says, if you've got money I'll see that you don't walk. I haven't got a nickel, not a penny can I show. Get off, get off your railroad bum and slam that boxcar door.
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